First bike advice

[samgab]

VTR's look cool, but I think the naked look is something that grows on you the more you get into bikes. Well that was the case for me anyway.

Yeah, totally. I was all about the fairings a few years back, I thought bikes with fairings were the best looking things ever, but now I'm starting to favour the naked or even the street-fighter style more.
Hornets look pretty mean, with the fat tires and what-not.

[blossoming]

Oh wow, thanks so much for your input. Haha, I have a mate who is pretty keen on bikes...but motogp ones so, yeah...

I've also found this:

http://www.clarity.net/adam/buying-bike.html

I think this guide should help me with all the know-hows on what to check for a used bike.

[quickbuck]

Yes, over all a good guide.
There are some things in there that are a bit over the top, but on the whole it is better than going in blind.

OTT things like: Fork seals should be replaced every 15 to 20k miles...
I consider these to be "On Condition". Replace them when they leak.
It may be way more than 20k miles.

Also, if you are looking at low kilometer imports, due to long periods of sitting, all the seals dry up. Then as soon as you hit the picks you break the seals, and they need to be replaced.
I have wrecked about 5 sets last week.
Not hard to change though, so all good.
Saves the customer bringing the bike back the next week.

[blossoming]

I got my licence today. *yay* XD

And I did test drives of a Suzuki GSX250 and the CBR250RR. And I've checked all three bikes on their suspension, brakes, lights, horn...

By just comparing the looks of the CBR and GSX, the CBR looks better and the seats are a bit lower which gives me a feeling that I'm *in* the bike rather than on it.

And performance wise, while the GSX has a lot of go, the acceleration was a bit stiff and not as smooth as the CBR. The gear changes were a lot smoother on the CBR but I still need to get used to it.

The CBR that I am pretty keen for, as my mate pretty much had two thumbs up on, is a CBR250RR MC22 1991 which has done 30,000km's. Everything was pretty decent, chain, sprockets was in good nick. And the brake pads are basically new. It's been serviced at Red Baron. $5000 for bike, two bike stands (front and back), and full gear except for the boots but the helmet has been scratched (which I'll probably get a new one.).

There was another CBR250RR which we looked at for $4800. It was 1990 version with 20,000km's. This bike was driven by a bike mechanic and it has been taken care of pretty well. I can see from the way he showed me that he has spent quite a effort on it by changing spark plugs, air filters, straightened the forks, carbs striped and cleaned and F&R brake fluid changed. A few scratches and cracks mostly on the fairings but it was in pretty good condition, but not as good as the 1991 version if it had been well cleaned.

Any advice?

[samgab]

I got my licence today. *yay* XD

And I did test drives of a Suzuki GSX250 and the CBR250RR. And I've checked all three bikes on their suspension, brakes, lights, horn...

By just comparing the looks of the CBR and GSX, the CBR looks better and the seats are a bit lower which gives me a feeling that I'm *in* the bike rather than on it.

And performance wise, while the GSX has a lot of go, the acceleration was a bit stiff and not as smooth as the CBR. The gear changes were a lot smoother on the CBR but I still need to get used to it.

The CBR that I am pretty keen for, as my mate pretty much had two thumbs up on, is a CBR250RR MC22 1991 which has done 30,000km's. Everything was pretty decent, chain, sprockets was in good nick. And the brake pads are basically new. It's been serviced at Red Baron. $5000 for bike, two bike stands (front and back), and full gear except for the boots but the helmet has been scratched (which I'll probably get a new one.).

There was another CBR250RR which we looked at for $4800. It was 1990 version with 20,000km's. This bike was driven by a bike mechanic and it has been taken care of pretty well. I can see from the way he showed me that he has spent quite a effort on it by changing spark plugs, air filters, straightened the forks, carbs striped and cleaned and F&R brake fluid changed. A few scratches and cracks mostly on the fairings but it was in pretty good condition, but not as good as the 1991 version if it had been well cleaned.

Any advice?

First, congrats on the licence. Hope to see you at the Wednesday NASS's real soon.
Secondly, The CBR250RR is an excellent bike, no dispute.
It's build well, very good quality, and goes like stink.
the MC22 with the gull-arm is the one to get too.
I'd say either of those sounds good, but after riding them both, if you prefer the '91, that'd be a good one to get. The bike stands will come in very handy if you plan to do some basic servicing yourself, and you need to get the gear anyway... just as long as it fits properly.

I test rode a couple of MC22's too, and I agree, they have a good "in-it-rather-than-on-it" feel to them. Two thumbs up.